


No Stranger To The Rain

by rachelarcher



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Child Abuse, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Out of Character, Ricks the broken
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 18:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7694485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelarcher/pseuds/rachelarcher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick is found beaten by a strange band of heroes.  He's roughly 15 in this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Stranger To The Rain

He struggled to stand, eyes unfocused. He couldn't keep from struggling. He could feel the blood on his body. He couldn't breathe correctly. His vision was blurring, when bright brown eyes me his and he thought he heard her say **let me help you**. But he wasn't sure. He couldn't see anything, other than blackness. 

When he woke there was an argument in the room, and he jerked violently trying to make himself small. Silence, and he felt like he was going to be hit. Instead soft hands ran through his curls, and another more calloused pair resumed washing him off. Careful strokes on his chest. He registered he was naked but didn't have the energy to care. Above him somewhere a voice whispered. **Weve got you, boy. Relax. We won't hurt ya. Gonna stitch you up. Might hurt.** He wasn't sure what they we're talking about. The dark engulfed him again. 

-/-

It took some manuvering, but Grace-Lynn managed to drag the shivering bloody teenage looking boy into the truck she was driving. She shivered against the rain, and covered him quickly with the blanket she had in the truck, she looked at the bed and took stock of the parts she had been picking up for her uncle. 

The old truck didn’t have third gear, and often had issues with reverse, but she managed to get it going, and only lunged the boy next to her, making him moan, twice. When she got home she knew she’d have some explaining to do, but she bit her tounge instead, and frowned. 

“DARYL! MERLE! CAROL! Help me!” She ordered from the cab. Her sisters, and foster brothers emerged from the house. They belonged to the man their aunt had married. Once they hustled the boy inside, her aunt, Millie, met them in the livingroom. A frown on her face, “He was dying, he’s a kid, come on.”

It was fast a rush after that. Her aunt, her husband William Dixon, his brothers Hershel and Jesse sauntered in to help. Millie was the only wife alive. Hershel had two daughters. Jesse had a son his own. They all lived in the rundown doublewide. Carol and Grace-Lynn belonged to the Millie’s sister, Milidia, but she’d died about eight years ago. 

Once the boy was stripped, and settled onto the cot, his head in Grace-Lynn’s lap as she worked on getting the matted blood from his head, and dirt from him. Daryl was moving quickly to whip his body clean, the only two teenagers at home, trying to keep the boy from freaking out whilst they cleaned him off.

He woke breifly, probably from the sound of Millie and William arguing. Not about the boy, but rather how to proceed, William had an idea of who the boy was, “I’m telling ya Millie, he belongs with them Walsh’s his parents died or sum’thin, and damn if Sherriff Walsh ain’t his uncle or sum’thin.” 

“Brother, be still.” Hershel sighed. “Who he belongs to isn’t important, Millie and I can treat his wounds once Daryl and Grace-Lynn has him all cleaned up. She done right bringing him here.”

“Until someone comes looking.” Jesse sighed.

“Ain’t no one lookin’ for him.” Grace-Lynn frowned. “He was lyin’ in a damn ditch, guys, bleedin’ out, ‘ah wouldn’t ‘ah noticed ‘im ifin ‘ah wasn’t worried bout a damn deer.”

Realizing Rick was awake she shushed the adults in the room, and nodded at Daryl to keep on. Daryl whipsered low, “We’ve got ya boy. Relax. We won’t hurt ya. Gonna stitchya up. Might hurt.”

Daryl ambled to the other side of the cot, to allow Grace-Lynn to lean against him while Millie and Carol worked together to stitch the boys chest up. William threw his hands up in disgust, and headed out towards the garage. Jesse tumbling along behind him. Hershel moved to check the older more angry looking wounds on the boys legs. 

Merle held Maggie and Beth Greene, Hershel’s daughters, and Joshua, Jesse’s son - corralling them into the livingroom. Maggie was fifteen, Joshua was thirteen, and Beth was ten. Grace-Lynn and Daryl were both eighteen, to Merle’s twenty-one. Carol was sixteen, and the exact opposite in every way to her older sister, Grace-Lynn. 

It was hours, hours, before they moved the boy, they tucked him comfortably into the bed Grace-Lynn normally slept in, she tucked in with Carol, and Will called lightsout.

-/-

Screaming woke the house. Grace-Lynn was up and out of her bed with Carol before the second scream erupted from their guest’s lips. She straddled him carefully, rubbing his shoulders, “Hey, fella, wake up.” He trashed harder, inadvertantly slamming a fist into her face, and sending her sprawling backwards. Daryl and Carol moved next, both trying to stop the boy’s thrashing. It was Merle, who finally wrenched the kid up in his bed, and pressed a firm chest against his back, arms around his shoulders, “Boy, yer al’right, we ain’t gonna hurt ya.”

Grace-Lynn could remember him doing that with her and Carol when they first came, a shiver down her spine. She stood, nose bloodied, lip busted, and probably a bruised cheek to boot, but manuvered herself back up on to the bed. The boys eyes were wide open now. “Hi, I met you in the rain, remember?” He nodded. “Sorry to scare you, we helped you.” He looked worried. “Calm down, my name is Grace-Lynn, the big arms holding you belong to Merle, this is his brother Daryl, and my sister Carol. We have other cousins around, but we all sleep in this room.” She slowed up. “I couldn’t leave you in the rain, you were bleeding out. We patched you up, stripped you down, cleaned you off, put new fresh clothes on ya, yew gotta name?”

“Rick.” He shivered, breathing hard. “Rick Grimes.”

“Ok, Rick.” Merle behind him whispered, “Want some’ne ta sleep with ya, so’s yer not alone.” 

Rick shivered, but nodded. Merle sighed, “Ok, er, Dar or Grace are probably better suited ta that, I’ll be over yonder, on tha top bunk, ifin ya need me.” Merle let the boy go, gently, and bounded across the room, back to the top bunk.

“Rick, I’ll sleep nexta ya, ifin ya want.” Grace-Lynn offered, a small smile on her face. He nodded, then looked at Daryl.

“I ‘pose I could stay too.” Daryl grumbled, his voice gravely and rolled over Rick, making him shiver. Daryl stretched out first, against the wall, and felt more than saw Rick tense, then snuggle to his side, pressing his back and butt to Daryl’s torso and hip. He watched through the haze as Rick pressed his face into Grace’s ribs, she had a tendancy to sleep higher in the bed than most people, Daryl figured it was from years of Carol sleeping on her. Grace threaded her fingers through his hair, and hummed a calming song. Soon, everyone was asleep again.

Maggie, Joshua, and Beth hadn’t woken up or hadn’t wanted to partake in the scream fest. Maggie and Beth shared the bunk of the bed above Carol’s. Joshua slept on the bunk bed above Grace-Lynn’s bed, which was currenlty crowded by the teenagers tangled up in, Daryl normally slept on the bunk bed below Merle. 

Rick didn’t drift off to sleep right away, he was hyperaware of his surroundings. The window without curtains or blinds allowed the full moon over Georgia to seep in, he could tell there were several other kids scattered around the room. He shivered, feeling a cold claminess settle on him, only to have a strong arm tossed around his waist, and a blanket drawn up with it. Both the kids, Daryl and Grace, were sleeping around him, both snuggled to him, which both terrified him, because now Daryl’s chest was firm against his back, and Grace’s legs and arms were tangled in his, her back to his chest, she’d wiggled around once she’d fallen asleep. He wondered if they normally slept like this, if that was why both had resorted to the position around him. He dozed off, finally, feeling the warmth of someones breath on his shoulders, and the thundering of heartbeats around him.

-/-

“So, plan?” Millie asked the kids as they manuvered around the breakfast table.

“We’ve seen him around school.” Maggie frowned. “He’s tha same age as me.”

“That’s troubling.” Daryl frowned.

“Why?” Millie asked.

“Cause me and Mrs. Grace cuddled the kid lastnight when he had a nightmare.” Daryl snarled.

“Well, best be glad yer dad’s are out working.” Millie whispered. William, Hershel, and Jesse owned a garage and salvage yard in Linden County, it was a thirty minute drive from their country home in the woods, but it was a gift from their fourth brother, Dale who had passed away some time ago.

“Grand.” Beth whispered.

“Seriously, though, do you know what your going to be doing?” Millie asked softly.

“His name is Rick Grimes.” Merle declared. “Thought Gracie and I might ought ta check out his house, address is the Walsh residence, see ifin they’s missin’ him.”

“Aweful brave of you.” Millie chuckled. “Son I know how ya feel about pigs, and ifin he belongs to the Walsh’s they’s cops.” 

“Momma, boy looks like a damn truck ‘it him.” Daryl whined. “Some one either misses ‘im or did it to ‘im.” Daryl looked irritated. “And Grace in a prettier face than mine or Merle’s ugly mug.”

“Fuck yew, little brother.” Merle kicked his chair, pushing Daryl backwards.

“Cool it, brats.” Millie laughed. They might not have much but they had a lot of fun together, as a family, whole town looked down on the fact that Millie was the only woman out here, and she had raised kids that were not hers, that she lived with four, now three men. After Dale passed, it had sent everyone into a tailwind for a while. 

“Merle’s right.” Maggie sighed. “When Darry got lost in tha woods, we all looked for ‘im even if some of us was little.” 

“So, Merle ‘nd me, after breakfast. Best give him some more painkiller’s for we leave.” Grace looked at her aunt. 

“A’ight, best tell the kid yer gonna be out, ya seem to be tha one that calms him.”

-/-

Merle liked afternoons with Grace. She was easy to be around. She’d been a little on the rough side when she and Carol had first come from their mothers house. Abuse had scared them both up pretty bad, but in the end it had helped everyone. His pa had even stopped drinking and they’d all started going to church. Hershel came a year later, after Anette died, then Jesse when he got custody of Joshua. 

Currenlty, she had her arm out the window of the truck, and they were both singing loudly and probably off key to some random country music station. “This is the turn.” She called out, and he nodded. The house they were looking for was a fancy two story, yellow in color, with pale green rafters. Pulling into the driveway the police care was absent. 

Grace hopped out of the truck, tucking her hair behind her ears and rushing up the front steps, she casually rang the doorbell. Moments later Shane Walsh opened it, a pained look on his face. “Hi, I’m looking for Rick.” She lied.

“Why, he ain’t your age.” Shane snarled back, low.

“We have shop class together, and were supposed to be working on a project. Merle offered to help us.” She lied, pointing towards the truck. She didn’t know much about Shane, but she knew from when they were in school together that he was a complete ass. 

“He ain’t here.” Shane snapped. “Ran off. Dad ain’t even botherin’ ta look for the little fag, figures were better off without ‘im.” 

“Oh.” Her face looked concerned, but really the wheels were turning in her mind. “Uhm, how come he was stayin’ with ya anyway?”

“His dad took off and his mom killed herself.” Shane answered. “Ain’t no one ever met his dad, so….” 

Well, that was enough to work with, she figured. She cast one curious look at Shane, then loped back to the truck. “Need ya ta take me to the library.”

“What he say?”

“Ain’t no one looking for the little fag.” She responded.

Merle sighed. “Sis, I hate fuckers like Walsh, soon as his ass is alone on the street, I got him.”

“Good.” She grinned.

They rode in silence, until they reached the library. Inside Merle and Grace both spanned out, she headed towards the newspapers, needing to do some research. Merle was headed to talk to the librarian, Andrea. All smiles and leaning on the counter. 

_Michael Grimes disappeared last night, August 1, 1973. No word on his wearabouts. Wife and young son presumably alive and well._

_Nancy Grimes was found dead this morning, Septemeber 13, 1974. Leaving behind son, Richard Rhett Grimes. No word yet on CPS placement of son._

_Local police family Gareth Walsh, Kate Walsh, and son Shane Walsh have offered to take in Richard Grimes, local orphaned boy, until further notice._

“He’s never been outside of King County.” She told Merle when she met back up with him.

“That’s good, right?” Merle asked low.

“Yeah, we’re all homeschooled, might as well add him to the flock.” She grumbled. 

She had several printouts in hand, and several books tucked under her arm. Merle didn’t ask what they were for, he already knew. Bethy liked to read. They didn’t travel to Linden or King County often, prefering their quiet in the swamp they lived in. Millie had been a teacher until she had Merle, so the state was alright with her teaching her kids, neices and nephews. 

Merle and Grace-Lynn did stop in at the old convience store, Doc’s, which was ran by a hippie named Bob Stookie and his wife, Michonne. They had a little boy Andre, who was three and completely adorable. “Hi yah Chonne.” Grace waved, only to be enveloped in a hug. 

“Ya momma called, Merle, already got her order together, ya goin’ back up the Swamp?” Bob asked, smiling.

“Yes, sir.” Merle nodded.

With Bob’s help, the loaded three rather large sacks of groceries into the bed of the truck, and Michonne offered them their mail parcels. “We’ll be up Sunday for Hershel’s service.” They nodded, and smiled, before climbing into the truck.

There was more than one bridge over the muddied green moss covered land that led to the house they called thiers. It was a doublewide, and had had things spliced on to it as needed. William, Hershel, and Jesse were planning on selling the garage and living off the spoils of it for the next twenty or so years until their livers went bad, but it hadn’t happened yet.

Merle smiled at Grace, when she slid closer to him, knowing that her side of the truck was more likely to get hit with low hanging tree limbs. Merle couldn’t help but look her over. “It’s kidnappin.”

“Not if no one ever bother’s ta look for him.” She reasoned.

“And ifin they do? That boy was beat almost ta death, little sis, ‘im bein’ found might mean ‘is death.” Merle retorted.

“We take care of him, make him a Dixon.” She responded. 

Maggie and Beth had their mother’s last name. Hershel was a Dixon, same as his brothers. Their parents had divorced, thanks to Hershel’s drinking. When she died in a car wreck, he’d had to step up and take the girls as his own. Millie had helped with that. 

Merle didn’t know if being a Dixon was a good thing or not. He knew Grace-Lynn and Carol Monroe shouldn’t have been Dixon’s. They lived in a nice house, had a dog, had a life. But Millie Dixon had taken them in without a second thought when their mother died. 

-/-

Daryl watched him sleep, cause it wasn’t creepy. It was in actuallity, but Daryl wasn’t trying to think about that. He watched the steady rise and fall of the boys chest, and looked him over. He’d had two gashes on his head, one on his temple, and one behind his ear. He’d been covered in bruises. His chest, thighs, butt, and groin had been cut with different size knives. 

Daryl felt bad for him. Before Dale’s death, Will had been hard on him and Merle, but never hard enough to leave a mark. They all knew they were dirt, below even the crazy black families that lived out here. It was the later part of 1975, and Daryl couldn’t help but wonder if there was something wrong with Rick, something bad that made people hurt him.

He pushed the thought away, those crystal blue eyes the night before had been evidence enough to him, with their fear and confusion, that the boy was good. That he’d never do anything bad on purpose. Something tightened in his chest, he knew the word. Hope, hope this boy would remain, here.

He could hear the truck before it ever arrived. It had been a long time since anyone had been new. Since an outsider joined them. Jesse and Joshua were the last to join the ranks, and that had been almost three years ago. Daryl stood, slowly, to not wake the fragil boy, and joined his family in the main room.

“So, ain’t no one looking. No body to look. The police chief, he was living with, ain’t even battin’ an eye.” Merle grumbled. “Grace found some thangs.”

“He’s basically and orphan. And Merle’s right, no one is interested in him. He’s fifteen though, from what I gathered.” Grace sighed, “Brought the groceries up.”

“Good. Good. Chonne and Bob say ifin they was comin’ up fer Church?”

“Yeah, Momma, they’s gonna come up.” Merle muttered.

“I’s gonna watch over ‘im for a while, Dar.” Grace patted his arm.

Merle took stock of the house. Maggie, Beth, and Carol were probably doing chores, most likely the laundry in the spring out behind the house. Joshua was hovering behind Daryl. “We huntin?” Merle asked his brother, Daryl nodded, grabbing his quiver and bow.

Merle led both Joshua and Daryl out the back, waved at the girls, then pushed them on towards the woods. Merle and Daryl were technically not related at all to their mother, or to Grace and Carol. But, they’d all been raised as one sort of conjoined family. No one really minded the fact that Millie was everyone’s stand in mother, nor the fact that they all stayed out of the publics eye as much as possible.

Grace-Lynn watched after them, then found Millie looking at her. “I know about yer relationship with Merle and Daryl. It ain’t my place ta say nothin’.” She laughed, “But the way the three of you look at that boy, ya best not let Will catch ya.”

“Millie, ya know Merle plans on takin’ us outta here once he gets enough saved up from workin’ at the Swamp Shop.” She grinned. “Leavin’ ya with less mouths ta feed.”

“I know, darlin.” Millie handed her a basin of water and a wash cloth. “Just ‘member what I said.”

Grace nodded, then entered the room Rick was resting in. She set the basin on the bedside table, and sank down onto the bed next to his ribs, she shook him softly. Rick’s eyes blinked rapidly, finally focusing on her, “Grace.” He whispered, she nodded.

“Need ta clean ya up, need ta know what happened ta ya.” She whipsered, “That can wait ‘til yer ready, though.” She grinned at him, then dipped the wash cloth in the basin, before wringing it out in her hands, and bringing it to his chest, wiping off more dried blood fromthe night before, as well as sweat that had coated his body. “There there.” She whispered watching his eyes tear up. “I’s gotchya.”

Rick nodded, closing his eyes, and letting her wipe him down. “Grace.” He whimpered it.

“Yeah.”

“Don’t make me go back.” His hands gripped her wrist, suprising her, witht he strength he had left. 

“Rick, baby, no one is looking for you.” She purred. Letting him hold her. “I promise that until someone comes demanding you back, we will hold you here, with us.”

“Thank you.” With that he released her, and passed back out. She looked him over, carefully. She chanced a glance over her shoulder, no one had witnessed it. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, eyes calculating. One more mouth to feed, at least for a little while. He’d leave with them, whatever he’d been through it wasn’t happening again.

She stood, taking the basin and rag, carrying it out to the stream where the girls were working. She passed them both off. “Gonna help Millie cook.”

“Is Rick staying here?” Maggie asked.

“For a while.” 

-/-

By the end of the week, Rick was up and moving, he winced a lot, and stayed away from all the adult males, but he had linked arms with Maggie and Beth as they walked along the moss covered path to the old church hidden amongst the marsh. Hershel preached on Sunday’s. Rick’s eyes widened in suprise as several other people joined the family. He was introduced as a cousin. “This is Bob, Michonne, and Andre Stookie. They run the store outside the swamp.” Beth told him. Bob looked like he drank in his free time, but smiled. Michonne had a mess of dread locks that toppled down her shoulders. 

“This is Sasha and Abraham Ford. Her brother Tyresse Williams, and his wife Rosita.” Maggie explained, “They help with the gators.” Abraham was a firey red head, with a beautiful african american woman bedise him, her hair a messy fro. Tyresse was a broad black man, he could easily of been a linebacker, and Rosita was hispanic, with poutie lips, and wide hips. 

He had no clue what that meant. “This is Eugene, his wife Lisa, their daughter Ameila, and Lisa’s sister Tara.” Beth explained, pointint out a man with a mullett. Lisa and Tara didn’t look much like sisters, in his opinion, but he grinned watching the three year old Amelia duck off to play with Andre.

“And this.” He heard Grace’s voice, “Is Gabriel Stokes, he runs the ministry on Wednesday.” Rick turned to look at Gabriel, who was dark skinned and skiddish. The man nodded at him, smiling.

“That’s Lori, Andrea, and Amy Millington.” Maggie pointed at three women, “Widows to brothers, no children between them.” Lori was thin and tall, with long brown hair, the other two were blondes, and warm smiles on their faces.

“This is Gleen Rhee.” Beth grinned, “And his buisness partner Noah Jones. They run tours through the Swamp.” Glenn was an asian of some sort, he heard Daryl whisper korean behind him, and Noah looked mixed. “Maggie is soft on Glenn.”

“No softer than you on Noah.” Daryl sung. 

“That’s T-Dog.” Grace motioned to a loud black man. “Merle’s best friend. They both work in tha Swamp, doin’ odd jobs.” T-Dog clasped a heavy hand on Grace’s shoulder then kissed her temple, before disappearing into the old white washed church.

“I think that’s ever’one who lives in the Swamp.” Merle grumbled, nudging at them to get inside. 

The church was small, so it was full pretty quickly. The sermon was a good one, at least Rick thought it was, he’d never been to chuch much. Todays lesson was on loving thy neighbor. On taking care of those who couldn’t for themselves. It was probably in light or recent events, about Rick. 

Rick was amazed, when Maggie, Grace, Carol, and Beth took the pulpit, and started singing. Soon the whole church was singing along, and Rick couldn’t help but stand in awe at the magic that was family.

-/-

“It was Shane.” Rick whispered. He’d been there for three weeks. Merle, Daryl, and Grace had switched sleeping arrangements, taking the room that had once been Dale’s when they got the approval from William and Millie. It hadn’t taken long for them to transiton it into a room for them and Rick. Rick was currently laid in bed, Merle’s chest against his back, Grace facing him, legs tangled into his, with Daryl pressed tight against Grace’s back. The four had started the sleeping arrangement because the tanglement of bodies seemed to help Rick not have nightmares.

“What?” Merle growled out, Rick pressed against his chest, his face buried in Rick’s curls.

“You three’s gonna take me away with ya when ya leave, figure I should tell ya what happened, what led to it.” Rick muttered he wouldn’t make eye contact with either Grace or Daryl, and jumped when both laid a hand on him, Daryl lifting his chin, and Grace cupping his cheek. Merle’s grip around him had tightened.

“Rick were takin’ ya ta keep ya safe, ain’t safe here.” Merle mutttered.

“And we like ya.” Daryl whispered.

“Figured as much.” Rick grinned for a moment. Eyes meeting Daryl’s. “It’s cause he found out I liked boys an’ girls.”

“We do too.” Merle growled into Rick’s ear, making the younger boy shiver.

“He…” Rick shivered. “Ya’d think I wouldn’t wanna be touched, but… he… he took all my innocents. God, it hurt.” Tears were welling up in his eyes, and Grace surged forward, warpping him closer to her, the four way strange cuddle became a hug and a tangled mess. 

“Rick, he was wrong, not you.” Daryl managed, through the anger.

“I don’t ever wanna hurt like that again.” Rick whispered.

“Rick, it doesnt hurt like that when someone cares enough about you to prep you.” Grace whispered into his space, “Maybe someday when your comfortable we can show you.” Rick only nodded, whimpering, tears and snot.

-/-

By mid summer of 1976 they were on the road, Merle on his motorcycle. Often Grace drove, Rick in the middle, and Daryl against the window. They weren’t looking to put down roots, but the ended up doing it in Washington state, about as far away from Georgia as they could get. 

They found themselves in the Cascades. So far opposite from the swamps they had grown in, Merle managed to find a house they could rent as long as they fixed it up themselves. Daryl and Merle managed to find work in a garage, not far from the little house they lived in. Merle passed them off as siblings, saying he had custody of them all.

They settled in, and carved out a slice of the apple pie life. Almost eight months after they arrived in Washington, curled in bed together, Rick looked up at the moon, it was full and welcoming just like the moon had been when he’d first woken up in this strange place. “I… it was bad.” Rick grumbled, tonight Daryl was laid on him, head on his chest, Merle was pressed next to him, with Grace on his chest. 

“Shane?” Merle asked slowly, it wasn’t something they talked about. In fact they didn’t need to talk much at all. Rick no longer was thin and frail looking, instead he looked like he was older than Grace, a beard starting to grow in. 

“Yeah. That wasn’t the first time.” Rick whimpered, “Well it was for… that, but for hitting it wasn’t.” Rick offered. Daryl pushed up on his elbow to study Rick for a moment. Then gently pressed a firm kiss to his lips. Rick gasped, but allowed the gentle kiss, like he would for Merle or Grace. 

They had showed him more kindness than his parents, then Shane, or the other Walsh’s ever had done. Rick shivered feeling loving hands all over him. “Ya don’t gotta talk about it ifin ya dont wanna.” Merle whispered softly to his ear. Rick shivered.

“Just wanna say, I’m ready for what it feels like when ya love someone, remember, Grace you told me.” Rick whimpered.

“That’s right, I did.” She kissed his lips gently, “But not tonight, on a day were all off and can play as long as you want.” 

It was a promise, Rick liked promises. He liked waking up to a tangled mess of arms and legs, he liked the way they cared for him. He liked the gentle touches, the rough kisses, the way they rested against each other, liked the way they held each other together. Rick had turned sixteen in Washington, they had had a small party, and he’d been given simple gifts. He liked it.

Merle was teaching him about cars, Daryl was teaching him to hunt, and Grace was teaching him to cook. They called home, some, mostly leaving messages at the store. They had given up one life for another. Rick made the papers in the spring, the Walsh’s had reported him missing, finally. Or maybe they had had him prononced dead, finally. No picture of him, apparently they didn’t have one. Michonne had told them, then with a small smile, heard across the phone, she said “Maggie and Glenn are gettin’ married, will yall be back?”

“Doubtful.” Daryl had offered, then headed home.

It was a day off for them all tomorrow, and they had plans. A grin broke his face, and he caught Rick up in his arms the moment he made it inside the house. They were gonna be ok, Rick was going to be ok. Grace had saved them, she always did.


End file.
